Chilling audio is played for jury in murder case

Scott J. Croteau TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

Published Wednesday October 17, 2012 at 10:00 pm

Updated Wednesday October 17, 2012 at 10:47 pm

William J. Goddard said that if his ex-girlfriend was no longer dating him, she was going to die and so was he. The chilling audio from a CD left in Mr. Goddard's truck after he allegedly killed Kelly Brackley at Action Crash Parts in Webster on Jan. 28, 2008, was played for the jury today during his murder trial in Worcester Superior Court. (AUDIO)

PHOTO/ T&G Staff File Photo/DAN GOULD

Action Crash Parts in Webster, where slaying victim Kelly Brackley worked, is shown in this January 2008 file photo.

William J. Goddard said that if his ex-girlfriend was no longer dating him, she was going to die and so was he.

The chilling audio from a CD left in Mr. Goddard's truck after he allegedly killed Kelly Brackley at Action Crash Parts in Webster on Jan. 28, 2008, was played for the jury today during his murder trial in Worcester Superior Court.

“I decided if I'm not living, she's not living either. I decided to kill her,” he said in the CD that prosecutors said Mr. Goddard made. “I decided to kill her boyfriend if I can get near him. Myself, of course, by making police shoot me. Whether that happened, of course, I don't know. Obviously I'm not with you anymore.”

As Mr. Goddard stopped talking on the CD, the popular song “With You” by Chris Brown played.

Just before the song came to an end on the CD, Mr. Goddard shot up from his seat. Mr. Goddard's teeth were clenched and his face was tense. Court officers escorted him out of the courtroom. The room was cleared and testimony ended for the day.

State police investigators testified the CD was found in Mr. Goddard's truck. There was a message on the front that the CD was for his family.

Mr. Goddard, 42, formerly of 8 Vivian St., has raised an insanity defense to murder, kidnapping, assault and firearms charges from the events in January 2008. He is accused of killing Ms. Brackley, a 30-year-old mother of five, and wounding her boss Yograj Shivdasani inside the auto body parts distributor at 14 Railroad Ave. in Webster.

A few hours after the shooting, Mr. Goddard was tracked to a field in Berlin where he begged police to shoot him as he placed a 9 mm handgun at his head then his mouth. Authorities shot Mr. Goddard with non-lethal “beanbag” ammunition and took him into custody.

Mr. Goddard is accused of heading to his ex-girlfriend's workplace around 9 a.m. He allegedly held a gun at a temporary employee's face and then approached Ms. Brackley. He allegedly held out the gun, about three to four feet away, and fatally shot Ms. Brackley in the neck. The gun was then trained on her new boyfriend, who was her boss. Mr. Goddard allegedly shot Mr. Shivdasani, but the wound was not fatal. Ms. Brackley and Mr. Goddard apparently broke up in the fall of 2007.

In the CD made by Mr. Goddard, a disc jockey, he talked about his love for his family. State Trooper Shawn Murphy testified it was Mr. Goddard's voice on the CD. Mr. Goddard discussed his overdose one time in his life, and how he survived.

“I found the girl of my dreams, a person who wanted to put me first in every instance,” he said in the audio. “She was there for me through thick and thin and through the darkest times. I love this girl with every fiber of my being.”

Mr. Goddard called Ms. Brackley his rock on the CD. He said being with her made his walk livelier and his smile brighter. His voice in the audio is almost flat, showing no emotion.

But Mr. Goddard, who at first sat quietly as the audio played, talked on the CD about the couple having issues of trust. He claimed she thought he was cheating. Mr. Goddard thought she was cheating, too. He thought she was too close to her boss.

“The only ounce of life I had in me, the only hope I had for a life with her was dead,” he said talking about the breakup. “I died right then and there.”

He continued, “We both made an agreement that if she goes, then I go. I'm sticking by that whether it's a result of my own actions or not.”

Family members wept as the audio played. After the courtroom was cleared, family members hugged each other outside.

Mr. Goddard said his goodbyes to his family on the CD and told Ms. Brackley's family that she should always be remembered.

“She was a caring giving person. I'm sure she'll be missed,” Mr. Goddard said. “Please celebrate her life and never forget her.”